A Midnight Masquerade
A masquerade, a prince, a princess, and a lost shoe. Will the prince ever find his princess?
Chapter Two
Recap:
When she reached the front of the group he took one of her hands and kissed it. The crowd 'oohed' and 'awwed'. He then proceeded to help her into the shoe. It fit. Though not knowing who she was, he leaned forward and kissed her. As it got more heated in passion, he wrapped his arms around her head and pulled the string loose.
…
Or, at least he tried to. When he groped the back of her head for the string, it wasn't there! He pulled back in surprise.
She, sensing his confusion smirked. "You silly boy, you think I would use such a flimsy adhesive as string? I'm a witch! I can do magic." She said as she scoffed at his forgetfulness.
Draco, as if just now realizing that fact, regained his composure. "I know. Now that we've met again, why don't you take off that mask so I can see your lovely face?" He asked knowing that she would take her mask off.
The mysterious girl seriously considered it for a moment before dismissing the thought. "No," she said cautiously, "Not yet, I'm not sure you'll like what you see and I don't think I can take the rejection."
Their audience awed and Draco and the girl turned toward them as if they completely forgot they were there.
Draco lips upturned. "Then I shall wait." He said, drawing more "oohs" from the crowd. Then with a quick flash of pearly whites at his Cinderella he swept out of the Great Hall through the parted crowd.
As soon as the doors had slammed shut all eyes turned to the Mystery Girl to find that she too had left the room.
The room soon erupted in high-pitched chatter about this mystery girl stealing the most eligible bachelor in Hogwarts. These girls were pissed.
…
After running out one of the side doors "Cinderella" ran to her dorms. She flopped onto her bed and started bawling her eyes out thinking about all the ways Draco might react to her coming out. He could reject her. He could humiliate her. He could think she was kidding and seek payback. He could do so much. Little of which she could think of that were good.
She soon fell into a fitful sleep until the sound of the door slamming awoke her. Hoping her roommates didn't notice her jump she pretended to be asleep to hear some of their conversation.
"That bitch! Who the hell does she think she is? Coming in out of nowhere and stealing Draco." One shouted particularly loud.
"I know. She didn't even stay long enough for us to get a good look at her. I think I may have been able to figure out who she was if I could get a better look at her." The other fumed while taking off her "fancy" makeup.
The girl in bed silently scoffed. They knew nothing. And who were they calling a bitch? She wasn't talking about a girl she didn't even know behind her back (or so they thought).
After many minutes of gossiping they soon fell silent and fell asleep. Cinderella, on the other hand, had too much to think about to be able to sleep well. She tossed and turned all night, having nightmares of rejection and often waking in tears.
…
The next morning Draco awoke early and went on a stroll through the Hogwarts grounds. As he rounded a corner and reached the lake he realized that he wasn't the only one awake. On a rock, protruding from the water sat a girl. Draco went closer to see who she was. As he neared the rock he realized who it was and sneered.
"Oi. Granger!" He shouted. She turned around and a look of disgust crossed her face when she realized who it was.
"Sod off Malfoy." She shouted with as much venom as she could muster.
"Hell Granger, you look like shit! Did your boyfriends dump you or something?" He said as he saw her face. It was red and puffy and she looked alike she hadn't slept in days.
She glared at him but didn't respond. She seriously didn't need this.
"What, did I hit a soft spot? Did Weasel run off with Brown again? Or did Potty get caught in a broom cupboard with Mini Weasel?" he taunted. When she didn't respond again he kept throwing more insults at her trying to get her fired up. It wasn't until after a particularly hurtful comment about her parents and a cup of green pudding did she finally react.
"Do you know what Malfoy? I really don't give a shit about what you think so leave me alone! I came out here this morning to be by myself not tortured by you! If I had wanted that I would have come down to the Slytherin Common Room and asked for you to do it myself. So stay out of my business and disappear before I make you."
"Ooh Granger, I'm scared. Was that a threat?" He said in mock fear in spite of what she just said.
Hermione screamed in fury and jumped off the rock. She stormed at him, wand at the ready. Draco just laughed as he quickly disarmed her and her wand fell about 10 meters away. But that didn't stop her. She kept charging and was about to slap him when he caught her arm.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He said, voice full of hatred, "I wouldn't want you to get hurt."
He stared her in the eyes watching hatred, anger, and fear dance around in her chocolate pools. After a few moments of staring his eyes widened and he let go of her and ran off.
Hermione stared at the spot he once stood for a moment before fetching her wand. He perplexed her to no end. One moment he could be teasing her, trying to rile her up, the next he would be angry, and the next he would be confused. This puzzled her to no end. What could have bothered him so much that he ran away from her so quickly?
